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Every decade or so, a series of monumental events transforms the computer industry, lifting us up to a new, more exciting level of computing. The last time this happened was back in the mid-1990s, when Netscape went public and the Web became a part of our lives. Microsoft moved most of us over to Windows 95, and Apple standardized on the IBM PowerPC processor. The confluence of these events set the stage for the way we use our computers today. Right on schedule, everything is about to change again.

From our vantage point, 2006 will be another transformative year, with innovations that will rock the computing industry. Microsoft will roll out Longhorn, arguably its most significant operating system upgrade since Windows 95. AMD and Intel's move to multicore, 64-bit-capable microprocessors will hit full force, delivering unprecedented speed and power. The Sony PlayStation 3 and Microsoft Xbox 360 will prove to be far more than just game consoles, and mobile phones will continue their transformation into full-fledged computing platforms. And Apple will officially forgo the IBM PowerPC and join the world of Intel-based computing.

All this news inevitably raises questions about your future purchases of computers, notebooks, mobile phones, game consoles, operating systems, application software, and more. Should you wait until Longhorn to buy a new desktop? Will the Mac OS run on a PC? What's the big advantage of dual-core chips? Will the game console become the family entertainment center? In the following pages, we'll answer all these questions and more. Fasten your seat belts, and get ready for a new computing age in 2006.

Linux
 The Business of LinuxA special report with a number of case studies on how businesses use Linux.
 Microsoft vs. Linux: Execs Talk DetenteMicrosoft developers are also interested in open source projects. Here's a story on this new dialog.
 Office PoliticsVarious Linux distros and applications aim to replace Microsoft Windows and the Office suite. Here's a special report that has stories on both Office and its Linux competition.

Our contributors: Michael J. Miller is PC Magazine's editor-in-chief. John Clyman is a contributing editor.Sebastian Rupley is a senior editor. Jason Cross is a senior technology analyst for ExtremeTech.Rich Fisco is the technical director of PC Magazine Labs. Oliver Kaven and Sascha Segan are lead analysts at PC Magazine Labs. Features editor Sean Carroll was in charge of this story.

Michael J. Miller's Forward Thinking Blog: forwardthinking.pcmag.com
Michael J. Miller is chief information officer at Ziff Brothers Investments, a private investment firm. From 1991 to 2005, Miller was editor-in-chief of PC Magazine, responsible for the editorial direction, quality and presentation of the world's largest computer publication.
Until late 2006, Miller was the Chief Content Officer for Ziff Davis Media, responsible for overseeing the editorial positions of Ziff Davis's magazines, websites, and events. As Editorial Director for Ziff Davis Publishing since 1997, Miller took an active role in...
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